The Pinkest of Weddings
by mamuzelkittycat
Summary: DoflamingoxOC, T. LawxOC. Dating a powerful worlord who tended to flake on everthing, and generally not give a shit wasn't easy. So how's it gonna be when his wedding is just ONE WEEK away? Guess We'll have to find out, won't we?
1. Day One of Hell

Face forward and march.

Shelby Hartford had lived by this strict rule for years. It had helped her in every big decision she's made. Just face forward and march.

She currently found her self doing just that - albeit unwillingly.

"Lillianne Sarafina Bohemia, if you don't stop pushing me right now, I will slaughter you so bad, they'll have to identify the body through blood tests!" Shell complained loudly.

"Have a little faith in my skills! It's not like you can complain anyhow! I already picked out the dress, and unless you wanna leave _him_ standing at the alter just cause you didn't like my choice, you have to wear it! Now **scooch ya' booch so we can put the damn dress on you and have it sized**!"Lily roughly shoved Shell forward into a curtained doorway, effectively tripping her. Shell picked herself up and scowled back at the tittering girl. Rolling her eyes, she turned to face the professional-looking woman beside a 3-piece mirror who held a clear bag with white cloth inside. 'Well, this should at least be interesting...' She thought aimlessly before stepping up onto a small platform and stripping off her clothing.

Shell flopped down into the black Cafe chair and sighed contentedly as though the chair were the softest seat she had ever had the pleasure to place herself in.

"Goddess, that was exhausting...especially since you kept _whining_ about them pricking you!" Lily collapsed into a chair across from Shell at the small glass table sitting outside of their favorite cafe. "I don't get it," she continued, "how can someone so strong and calm most of the time be a complete _pansy_ in the dressing room?" Lily shot the older woman a look and tilted her head back, sighing.

Shell glared at the lazy girl before she retorted, "I don't see how it's a problem! I swear that one dresser had it out for me, and was pricking me on _purpose._"

Lily had a flat expression. "You knew he had fangirls when you got with him, Shell-sama. I have to deal with them, you have to deal with them, anyone who's with anyone from their world has to deal with them." She giggled and sat up completely turned to face her Captain and went on, "I bet that chick was one of those fangirls that goes home and cries because she cant have what she wants!" She laughed hard as their usual waitress came over.

"Hello! Here for the usual Tuesday visit?" Makino exclaimed with enthusiasm.

"Yeah," Shell replied boredly. Lillianne and Shelby ordered their usual Coffees-with-extra-creamer-and-don't-forget-to-add-the-whipped-cream-but-not-too-much-because-I'm-still-watching-my-thighs-like-a-hawk. As Makingo skipped away, Shell turned back to Lily. "Lillianne, how long did you-"

* * *

"-say I had to wait until I saw Shell?" Doflamingo wailed as he lounged back in the armchair on Trafalgar Law's sub.

"Until the wedding. It's considered bad luck to see the bride one week before the wedding." Law replied in a bored tone. He crossed his arms and huffed for the umpteenth time that day. It wasn't helping his attitude at all that his flower had told him not to see her for one week as well, saying 'we should celbrate the wedding by sharing the usual wedding customs the bride and groom usually partake in! We can't see each other for a week, ok?~' And ofcourse, he couldn't say no to her, not unless it generally hurt her. And it wouldn't hurt to be without her for a week. But, Gods, it was _Hell Week_, the week right before the wedding. And it wasn't even _his_ wedding! It was Shelby and Doflamingo's wedding, and his delicate flower was doing _all_ the preparation, leaving Doflamingo and himself very bored.

Law was brought out of his musing by a scoff coming from Doflamingo. "That's a-"

* * *

"-stupid custom!" Shell sighed in frustration and gripped her coffee as she lay her head down on the glass surface. Lily patted her shoulder, then leaned back into her seat and gulped down her cooled coffee. As she went inside and up to the counter to pay for their usual drinks, she wondered briefly what she would design the clearing to look like...

Oh yes, did I forget to mention? Shell refused to marry in a church. It was too cliche' and stuffy. Especially with all the people that would be attending. Shell specifically told Lily that since she wanted to do _all_ the wedding planning, she needed to make the wedding in a place that was large, open, and beautiful. She didn't care what the colors were, as long as they matched. She didn't care who she invited, as long as they didn't ruin the wedding...too much. She knew she might invite Luffy, simply out of respect, and with that guy always came catastrophe. Finally, Shell didn't want a Bible wedding. She had Lily meet up with Law to discuss the vows they would exchange. It would be an improv wedding. Shell wanted to be surprised. She wanted to be...impressed. Naturally, though, she automatically knew anything Lily did would impress her. She had a way of surprising her.

Lastly, Shell didn't want to know anything about the wedding except what the dress looked like. Lily could pick it out, but the dress had to fit to Shell's form, so she would have seen it at the fitting anyway.

When Lily got back to the table, she was slightly surprised to see Emporio Ivankov sitting there in her seat. Currently, Ivankov was a she, and she sat in her seat.

"Emporio, what are you-"

* * *

"-doing here, Mihawk?" Law glared at the swordsman. Doflamingo shifted in his armchair and got up. Mihawk simply strode over without so much as a glance at Law.

"Come with me, now." Mihawk half-turned away from the ten-foot-tall man.

"Where are we going, Hawk-eye? Fufufufu~" Doflamingo slouched down to meet his gaze from behind his purple tinted sunglasses.

"Suits. You can't wear..._that_ to your own wedding." Mihawk eyed his outfit with vaguely hidden disgust and walked back over to Law. "You, too, best man. Neither of you have an incling of what the word 'fashion' means."

Law smirked and replied, "Oh, and you do?"

Mihawk shot him a glare and barely surprised the two with his answer, "No. Sanji will accompany you to the store. I am merely here because I have your respect, and can therefore convince you to come with me willingly." He turned back to the exit and strode on.

Doflamingo looked at Law, who shrugged, and followed with a wide grin plastered on his face. "Well, at least now I won't be-"

* * *

"-BORED! I AM ENTIRELY TOO BORED TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION RIGHT NOW!" Shelby never thought she'd see the day when she was flustered by something anyone but Lily said, but Ivankov had to go and say it.

"Darling, there is nothing wrong with talking about our sex lives!" She shook her hand back and forth, gesturing to drop the embarassment.

Shell didn't, though, and her face flushed with heat as she shot back, "No! I don't even talk to Lily about that stuff!" She covered her cheeks and turned away from them, very intent on going...nowhere. She didn't actually have a place to run to, but she had to go...somewhere. Walks helped her think, though they had probably become boring, especially since now her walks all consisted of being beside a certain blonde...

"Captain, just sit, and we can go over this! This way, we'll know what kind of lingerie to get you for the bachelorette party gifts!" Lily whimpered and put on her pouting face.

'Oh no...not the...pouting face!' Shell slowly sulked back over to the red-head and cross-dresser. Then she sat, knowing she was defeated.

"Now, first off, how many times have you had sex?" Shell flushed at Ivankov's calm question. "Ok, since you seem embarassed, let's make this a little more comfortable. I'll go first, then Lily, then you, ok?"Ivankov smiled when Shell nodded her head ashamedly. "Now then, I've had sex-"

"WE DON'T WANNA KNOW!" Lily exclaimed loudly, covering her ears. "LALALALALALALALAAAA~!" She shut her eyes tightly.

"Well, Lily, what about you~?" Ivankov lounged with one leg crossed over the other, smiling at the younger girl.

"Well, me and Law have had a LOT of sex, so I actually don't know." She replied, casually leaning against the back of Shell's seat.

"And you, Shell-bell?" Ivankov directed her gaze to Shelby.

"Erm...well..." She blushed heavily and lowered her head. "I-I...me and Doflamingo...erm...I haven't counted, but I-I think last night was our seven-"

* * *

"-tyfive times." Doflamingo's grin couldn't possibly go wider than it was currently.

"Wh-what?" Sanji shriveled where he stood in front of the changing room's curtain as the groom and best-man fitted their tuxedos (chosen courtesy of Lillianne). He jumped back up and continued his questioning. "What about adorable little Lily-swan~?"

"Two hundred thirty eight times and counting" Law replied nonchalantly. "Sanji, why the sudden interest in our sex lives?" Sanji could hear the smirk behind the curious tone.

"T-two...hun...dred..."Sanji collapsed into a puddle of I'm-so-jealous-because-I-haven't-gotten-laid-in-a-really-really-really-long-time. "Guys, why?"

Doflamingo stepped out of the dressing room sporting his pink flamingo print boxer shorts, and handed the tuxedo to a befuddled and slightly pink-cheeked tailor, and shrugged. "Sanji, I don't understand what the problem is. If you're trying to make yourself feel better by asking us about our sex lives, why don't you just make your own? You'll probably get laid at the Bachelor party. Ivankov is planning it, _and_ the bachelorette party, so really, you're complaining for nothing." He turned back into the changing room and pulled the curtain closed behind him.

Sanji picked himself up and sighed. Law stepped out of his room fully dressed and handed the second tailor his tuxedo. Once the boys were dressed, they left the shop and climbed into Doflamingo's limousine. They were headed to a local restaurant to 'eat some damn lunch, dammit!' as Doflamingo had put it. Once they got there, though, since it was a Sunday, they were closed.

Doflamingo seethed with anger."GOD FUCKING D-"

* * *

"-AMMIT ALL TO HELL! Iva, _please_ stop poking me in the side everytime I say somethig that amuses you!" Shelby huffed and turned from Ivankov and strut back over to the bed. Currently the three girls sat in the hotel room that Lillianne had booked in order to keep Doflamingo and Shelby seperated.

Shelby paced back and forth, her patience was wearing thin. Lillianne giggled and pulled another dress from the suitcase. The third suitcase out of ten that they had gone trough. All of the suitcases were packed tightly with colorful dress of all shapes, and only Shell's size. "How about this one?" Lily held up a long, green ballgown. How she fit it into the small container, noone knew. She simply could, and did. Iva gasped and awed about how she loved it, as she did with most of the previous dresses. However, Shell merely gave the dress a passing glance and continued pacing, mumbling about how it wasn't right. Lillianne sighed out, "Captain-sama, it's just a bachelorette party! You have to wear _something_!"

Ivankov got up and crossed the small space with a few strides, then plucked a large pink suitcase from the pile. She set it on the bed and unzipped it, then started rummaging through it and tossing dresses here and there, occasionally mumbling about how it wasn't right. Lily flopped down onto the soft matress and sighed, closing her eyes. Shelby sat in the seat Ivankov had previously been sitting in. The girls were all growing impatient and tired, not to mention cramped.

"Guys," Lily moaned from her spot laying on the bed, "I'm so bored. We need to do something...When's the bachelorette party again...?"

Ivankov answered her, not looking up from the pink suitcase that lay before her, "In exactly six days and two hours. Eight-o-clock sharp! Lily, why don't you deliver invitations to both parties while I find the dress I have in mind...?" Lily nodded her head excitedly and shot up. She sprinted to the closet, pulled out her purse and the messenger back she had all the invitations in and sprinted out of the hotel room, slamming the door behind her.

"Well...she seems happy..."Shelby sank further into her chair. Only six days and seven nights until she saw her beloved flamingo again, yet she didn't know if she could follow Lily's strange customs and rules. All Shell wanted to do was see him, but she knew Lily was going through the exact same thing. Could they really make it that long? Shell didn't know...

"Ah-hah!" Emporio held up the perfect dress that (still currently a she) had been holding. Shell was in awe.

"W-wow..." She sighed softly at the sight she beheld before her. Then smirked as she thought, 'Well, well, well, _this_ ought to make the party more interesting...perhaps I'll wear it for Doflamingo sometime. His reaction should be _priceless_' She laughed and grabbed the dress from Ivankov, and ran to the bathroom. "You're a life-saver, Iva-san!" She called happily.

"No problem, sweetie!" Ivankov called back, just before Shell slammed the door in excitement, eager to see if she fit what was possibly her new favorite dress.


	2. Day Two of Hell

Face forward and march.

Shell was beginning to wonder why she bothered to follow this motto. Oh yeah, because it had saved her ass more than once in the past.

Ofcourse, those past times didn't include being bounced on by a seventeen-year-old girl, getting dragged out of bed at literally six in the morning, then forced to dress up all fancy so that she could look over vacation houses to spend her honeymoon in.

She just wanted to sleep in.

"Alright! Let's do this thing!" Lillianne cheered her on as Shell slothed over to the front door of their hotel room. Wasn't she forgetting something...? She glanced at herself in the mirror.

'Oh yeah...hair.' She trudged back over to the end table next to the bed and tugged the brush through her highlighted brown locks. Once she finished looking presentable, Shell was - again - shoved forward by Lily, and out of the door. Lily shooed her over to the elevator and stepped in beside her. Oh lovely, now they had to share the elevator with three overweight, smelly, perverted men who kept staring at Shell and Lily like choice cuts of meat when they passed the eleventh floor. She was glad when they finally reached the main floor. Shell gasped for breath as they stepped away from the elevators and quickly made their way over the marble floors. Her heels made a tic-tic-tic sound as she was - yet again - dragged across the lobby to the swirling doorways, now bustling with life at the ungodly hour of eight-o-clock.

Lily shoved Shelby out of the way as she nearly got hit by a car in her fatigued stupor. Stupid unexpected traffic...

They made their way down the street to the parking lot, and got into _yet another_ elevator, and climbed their way up to the level that had the limousine they would be traversing in today.

'Day two of Hell Week. GOD DAMN. So much stress...' Shell relaxed against the plush leather and closed her eyes. She wondered how Doflamingo was doing. Probably still sleeping. Damn flamingo.

Lily broke her from her thoughts. "Ok, so the plan for today, is that we'll meet up with Nami and Robin, and they'll take us to the fancy-shmancy people who will help us find the right place for you and Bird-Brain. Don't forget-"

* * *

"-we still have to refit the tuxedos. The damn tailors didn't get either of our jacket sizes right, and they didn't make your pants long enough." Law explained as he walked beside Doflamingo.

"But why Ivankov? I bet he's gonna be a girl when we get there, and will give us _girly_ advice!" Doflamingo pouted as Law sighed in frustration.

"We have to write your vows. He won't make your vows too girly, trust me. This is the only part of the wedding Lily is allowing you to put your opinions into, so why are you complaining? I know it's difficult not being allowed to see Shell, but you only have six days and nights to suffer through now. If I can survive without an attitude, so can you. Stop complaining." Law led them through a doorway into Shell and Lily's favorite cafe. He ordered two-strong-coffees-with-extra-creamer-but-no-whipped-cream-because-that's-not-manly-but-add-honey-to-his-because-Lily-gave-him-a-sweet-tooth. Makino rung them up and they sat down at one of the tables inside.

Doflamingo led his gaze out the window and sighed at the sign of it starting to rain. "Will it rain at our wedding...?" He thought out loud.

"Possibly," Law drawled and sipped at his coffee, "hopefully, yes. It's been said that rain at a wedding means fertility in a marriage. If you want a bunch of little blonde-haired babies running around, then I wish the rainiest of days for your wedding." He closed his eyes and sipped at his coffee again.

Doflamingo huffed and drank his coffee in silence. Up until a waitress passing by accidentally tripped and spilled hot tea all over him. "SON OF A FUCK-"

* * *

"-ING BITCH!" Shelby was taken aback by the comment, but kept her calm composure toward the girl before her. She was slightly younger than her, and obviously had no skills in fighting, she could tell, as she observed her thin frame, almost skeletal. The girl continued, "You think you can just take Doflamingo-sama's heart like that? Dream on, bitch! Doflamingo's MINE! Just cause some bitchy fangirl did some stupid voodoo chant to try and win him over, doesn't mean that he's yours! HE'LL NEVER BE YOURS! RAAA!" She shrieked and lunged forward, attempting to tackle Shell and pin her so she could claw her stupid face off.

Shell stood her ground.

And didn't flinch when the girl attached herself to her waist.

Shell had some finely-placed girth to her, and merely placed a hand on her hip and sighed, looking at the nails on her other hand. Lily giggled and watched the fangirl's friend gasp in surprise at the fact that she didn't take down the girl at first.

Shell chuckled darkly and grabbed both the wrists that had tried to reach for her face. She twisted them at such a speed and angle, that it broke the bones literally through the skin of both of the girl's forearms, then spun one her arms around so that they were crossed in front of her, with her back to Shell. Shell then kicked her back - hard - and she shot forward into her friend. Lily straight out laughed at the pain as the girl sobbed and screamed in pain.

"WHAT A FUCKIN' PSYCHO YOU ARE! WHAT'RE YOU LAUGHING AT, SHORT BITCH?" The friend shrieked.

Lillianne suddenly shutup, then started shivering. Then she exploded with laughter. Once she picked herself up off of the ground, she swiped the tears from her eyes, and glared at the two girls with an evil smile on her face.

"So~, is 'bitch' the only insult you know?" Her eyes widened into a crazed stare and she took a delicate step forward, looking like a ballet dancer getting ready to perform. Her arms raised and she truly looked delicate as her eyes went half-lidded, and her evil smile melted into a grin of amusement. She tilted her head back and took down her hair. "Captain~, do you mind if-"

"Go ahead." Shell scowled and crossed her arms, waiting for the slaughter she expected to amuse her and bring her back into good spirits.

Townsfolk scrambled away, as other took out devices and started recording the event. Shell leaned against a nearby telephone pole and watched with a bored expression.

Lily ran to the girl, swept behind her, and shoved her forward. Her hair twirled about her, making the air seem like it was on fire. Some people gasped as Lily twirled back around, getting in the girl's face, making it seem like she was already splattered with streams of blood. She placed her palm against the girl throat and shoved forward and down, slamming the back of her head against the ground. As Lily jumped back, the girl groaned and clutched the back of her head. She rolled over, starting to cry. Lily scoffed at the girl's pitiful show of power.

'Well, they should have known they were getting into a fight with an impossible opponent,' Shell thought, 'I even sent Lily forth, and she still beat them! And I'm _three-times_ as strong as she is. Supid girls these days, thinking they could ever best a pirate captain, much less me.' She silently stepped past the girls that were quickly losing blood, and Lily followed her like a duckling would its mother.

Yes, she waddled and everything.

They walked into the building they were orginally going to enter - before they were interrupted - and sauntered over to the greeting counter.

"Why hello, Miss," the secretary working the desk clapped her hands together in practiced happiness, "Do you-"

* * *

"-have an appointment?" The tailor asked vigorously.

"Yes," Law glared, "Make it snappy, we have other places to be." The tailor scuttled away quickly, leaving the three men alone, back in the lobby of the suitor's. "Ivankov, do you have the list?"

Emporio, currently a male, pulled out a piece of paper with everything they were to take care of the rest of this week. "Would you like me to read it for our groom~?"

"Yes, please." Law turned to Doflamingo, "Pay attention."

Doflamingo took a seat and leaned back, waiting for Ivankov's list to begin - and end.

Ivankov cleared his throat with an 'Ahem' and began.

"Fit tuxedos, create vows, and sit tight. W-wait...is that really all?" Ivankov flipped the paper over several times before coming to terms with the list's length. "I suppose sweet little Lily-chan really _is_ taking care of essentially everything!" He sighed and regained his smile before looking back at Doflamingo.

He looked quite surprised.

"What in the hell-"

* * *

"-happened to you?" Nami looked horrified at the girls who had spots of blood spattered on their new outfits. Robin chuckled and simply turned to lead the girl over to the - oh joy - elevators.

"Hey, guys, I gotta go, but here's a copy of the list in case you are wondering what I'm doing!" Lily shoved a piece of paper into Robin's hand and ran off.

She opened it, and read aloud, "Plan place and colors for wedding. Order cake. Order dress. Order tux's. Buy new limo. Find honeymoon place. Invite ppl to wedding, and bachel. parties. Buy wedding gifts. Order bridesmaids' dresses. Go to all fittings EXCEPT BOYS'. Order own dress. Plan music and hire DJ. Plan reception and afterparty. Find hotel for me n' Law. Buy airplane tickets to wherever Shell-sama is going for honeymoon... This is quite the list, though, it seems some of these things are already crossed out." Robin looked up to the shocked face of Nami and the slightly raised eyebrows upon the bored expression of Shelby. She smiled as the realtor came over to greet them.

"Hello, ladies, may I help you today~?" She placed her hands together and tilted her head to the side.

Nico smiled and replied, "Why, yes, we are here to find a nice place for the bride's honeymoon."

"Oh my! Who's the lucky lady~?" She swiveled her head side to side in faked excitement.

"Here." Shell replied boredly, glaring at the childish and unprofessional woman. The woman gulped as she looked at Shell. There wasn't a single person in this town who hadn't seen her bounty poster. She glared as the woman stuttered, gesturing for them to follow her.

"N-now, if you'll-"

* * *

"-follow me, sirs, I will be your waiter after you are seated." A fellow with a barbell moustache and suit with tie ushered Doflamingo and Ivankov into a room with a smoky atmosphere. They were seated at a table in the back, and were given menus.

"Emporio, why did Law ditch us?" Doflamingo questioned.

He smiled, "Because L-"

"HEY GUYS! Wow, I really didn't think you'd actually come here, but, hey! I'm not comlaining!" Lily skipped over and sat down with them. "Ok, so here's what's going on, Law is going over to Shell-sama, and I came here so we could work on more plans! Alright guys, here's what we're doing today: since I've already taken care of the invitations and fittings for the wedding, we're going to plan the bachelor party. Also, work on your vows. Does that sound ok?" Lily tilted her head innocently as the waiter came back, ready to take orders.

"I guess-"

* * *

"-that's fine." Nami squealed happily at the pace they had chosen and made their escape with a reluctant Shelby in tow. "Come on, Shell! It's late enough now for dinner! I want Olive Garden~!" She hopped into the back of the limo, followed by Shell and Robin.

Shell sighed as she thought, 'How did that take us seven hours? I didn't even get to know the place!' She tilted her head back and drowned out the idle chatter of Nami and Robin as she caught up a little on her sleep.

When they got to the restaurant, not even Robin and Nami foresaw Law waiting for them there. "I came in place of Lily. We are switching places for planning. It keeps us seperate, and not bored." He explained calmly. When they quickly came to terms with the arrangements, they made their way inside the building and were seated.

Law looked less than pleased and only ordered a glass of red wine.

And a glass of red wine.

And a glass of red wine.

And...another glass of red wine.

And...oh look! White wine!

And...red wine.

Shell could clearly see the stress etched on Law's features. She reached over the table and patted his shoulder lightly, showing she knew how he felt. She sighed and sat back, looking at the cieling digesting her dinner. Nami and Robin had already paid and left, leaving the two alone.

"Five more days and six nights, Law, and that's it!" Shell exclaimed. Law gave her a strained smile.

"Yeah," he replied, looking back to the window they sat beside, "five days...and six cold nights." He frowned and Shell mirrored him, folding her hands in her lap.

'Though, I don't know if I can make it that long...' Shell sighed as Law took another sip of his ninth glass of wine that night.


	3. Day Three of Hell

"Face forward and march?"

It came out as more of a statement than a question, but the tone matched the flat expression adorning Shelby's face.

"Yes," Lily replied, her expression filled with an equal amount of flatness, "that's all you have to do." She sat back and sipped at her coffee-with-honey-added-to-it-because-she-wanted-to-try-something-different-and-Law-said-it-was-really-good-with-honey.

Shell sighed and rubbed her forehead. "So that's it? Hold my boquet, face forward, and march? You're not even going to _tell_ me where to go?"

"Nope." Came her short reply.

"Just to face forward."

"Yep."

"And march."

"Ay-yep." She closed her eyes and sipped at her coffee, and Shell 'Hn'd' and turned her gaze to the bustling street. If she were a more impatient woman, she'd have given into her urges to see her flamingo hours before. But she was respectable to Lily's wishes.

"Lillianne." She didn't look at the younger girl, but since it was her name, the comment was obviously directed at her.

"Yes, Senchou*-sama?" Lillianne tilted her head and set down her now empty mug.

"You never actually explained it to me before...but why does that custom exist? Why do we have to wait a week to even _see_ each other?" Shell knew Lily knew what she was talking about when she sighed and leaned forward, ready to explain.

"Well, it's been around for ages. I think it roots itself from times when marriage was a business deal, and the groom and bride never actually met _until_ the wedding itself. Nowadays, it's considered bad luck. Superstition governs that whole thing. I'm not actually superstitious, but it's said that if the bride and groom were to see each other one week before the marriage, then the love won't last through the first year. In fact, in medieval times, the real reason they couldn't see each other was so neither one of them could back out before the ceremony! Not that I think you'd back out before the ceremony, Shell-sama." She smiled and giggled. "Would you like to hear a legend about someone with a situation not too different from yours? Though it kinda isn't..." She put a finger to her lips and trailed off, lost in her thoughts.

"Sure." Shell answered shortly. She was sure this story only had one thing to do with her current predicament, but she would humor her anyway.

"Well, it is time for dah CHEEZBURGERZ."

Shell sighed but did a double-take, "W-wait, what?"

Lily continued on, acting completely serious as she began her tale, "Once, long ago, there was a man named Orpheus. He was in love with a woman names Eurydice, and they were practically inseperable, much like Bird-Brain and yourself."

Shell nodded her head and listened intently. 'Well, this oughtta be good...'

"One day, Eurydice was bitten by a snake, whose poison ended her life, and her soul made its way to Hades in the underworld." She stopped there for a long time, leaving Shell to think that was the end of the story.

"Is that all to-"

"Orpheus, being the son of Apollo, was gifted with great musical talent. He was full of such sorrow that he composed more beautiful and meaningful music than ever. Soon, though, he got up the courage to go to the underworld and ask for his beloved back. Now, Hades's soul was made of steel, and many had gone to him to plead for their loved ones' souls back, but as many times, were refused. However, Orpheus was able to charm the Lord of Death with his sweet song of sorrow, and struck a deal with him." She stopped again, and Shell waited patiently. It had been fifteen minutes before Shell tested to see if that was the end of her story.

"Is that the end of-"

"Now the deal between Hades and Orpheus was that Orpheus could bring Eurydice back, but on one condition." Lillianne raised her pointer finger to the sky.

"What would that be?" Shelby asked, curious about how the story continued.

"Orpheus was to trust Eurydice and believe she was directly behind him, and not to look behind himself and see if she was still there until they stepped out of the underworld." Lily replied, her finger now twirling around the edge of her empty mug.

"Ah, so is that how it ends then? He trusts her, and they all live happily-ever-after?" Shell, confident in her prediction, smirked. Lily most usually ended her tales happily.

"Oh, no! Not at all! Right before they emerged, he looked behind him, and she was snatched back into the recesses of Hell." She smiled and got up, going to pay for their coffees. Shell was left sitting at the table with a horror-stricken expression.

She shakily turned to her half-empty mug of cold coffee and felt panic welling up.

'What if he doesn't trust me...? Is that what Doflamingo and I will end up like? I won't abandon him...will I?' She clutched her cup and tried her best to shove down the emerging paranoia.

Lillianne re-emerged from the cafe doors, reciept in hand, and smiled when explaining their activities for the rest of the day."Ok, so today, we have to take care of the bachelorette party. Iva-san is taking care of the bachelor's party,so-"

* * *

"-there's no need to worry about that~!" Ivankov finished with a flourish and led Doflamingo and Law to the limousine.

"Oi, Law, I thought you and Lily were switching back-and-forth?" Doflamingo asked Law with an amused smile.

Law gave the older man a smirk, "Apparently, she wants to plan the bachelorette party today. I can't plan a _lady's_ party, now _can I_?"

Ivankov laughed and continued with his own explanation, "Don't think we'll be doing nothing today, however! You could only get the location and DJ for the bachelor's party yesterday. I am here to help you plan everything else for that~!" He laughed at the end of his miniature speech and knocked on the glass to tell the driver where to take them.

Doflamingo sighed, "Law, I'm bored. Shell isn't here-"

"Obviously." Law interrupted.

"-And," He persisted, "she is my main source of entertainment. How long until I get her back?" He finished, running his hands through his hair.

"You're getting too impatient." Law replied with an annoyed tic on his head. "We need only wait four and half days and five nights. You can wait if I can, Doflamingo-ya." He sighed and tilted his head forward, depressed. "Though, I know how you feel..."

Ivankov looked behind him at the two curled up in fetal positions on the leather seats and sweatdropped at the scene.

"Guys, stop being such-"

* * *

"-pansies!" A woman complained nearby on the bus the girls had cramped themselves into. "I cannot believe the nerve of them! I bet that man is only marrying that poor girl for publicity!" The woman was nearly shrieking in their ears now, talking to some kid nearby who honestly looked like he couldn't care less.

Lillianne stopped her Captain from bashing the woman's face in, and leaned forward, intent on query on the subject she had previously been lecturing an entire uninterested bus on.

"Miss," Her manners had greatly improved since Law had come into her life, "Can you please tell me why you feel this way...?"

The lady snapped her head over to the young girl with a fierce look in her eyes. "I feel this way because it's all true! The Man of a Thousand Ladies marrying the Queen of Shadows? Unthinkable, if you ask me!" She still hadn't noticed a fuming Shell beside Lily. "That man is nothing but trouble! He's probably cheating on the girl as we speak. And have you seen how beautiful the girl is? She can't be older than twenty! He's a damn pedophile and a cheat, and someone needs to call off this wedding before something gets out of hand!"

Shelby shot up, shoving Lily to the side. "DO YOU KNOW EITHER OF US PERSONALLY?" She screamed. The woman looked terrifiedly up at her as the whole bus went quiet, waiting in choking silence for Shell to continue her rampage. "DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MAN IS EVEN LIKE? DO YOU KNOW HOW FRUSTRATING IT IS TO HEAR YOU RANT AND RAVE ABOUT HOW BAD HE IS, AND BE HELD BACK FROM **KNOCKING YOUR DAMN HEAD OFF OF YOUR FUCKING SHOULDERS?**" She grabbed the woman up by her collar, ignoring Lily as she tugged lightly at the hem of her shirt. "Now listen to me _carefully_, gossiping **bitch**. Doflamingo is the love of my _life_. I will go down with this mother fucking ship. I wil **not** put my hands up in surrender. There will be no white flag above _my_ door. I'm in FUCKING LOVE, and always will be!" She threw the woman back into the seat she had occupied before, and Shell tried her damndest to stop herself from ripping the now crying woman's head from her shaking shoulders.

"You have no right to talk about what that man is like if you have a fucking opinion based around _rumors_. What have you heard? That he leaves his women within a month?" She was seething with rage, interlacing ice into her next words.

"WE HAVE BEEN TOGETHER FOR TWO ENTIRE YEARS NOW."

The bus stopped at its next destination just then, and Lily had to put all of her strength into pushing Shelby off of the bus. Once they were outside, Lily gingerly placed her hand in Shell's. Shell looked at her with unintentional anger, but her eyes softened when she saw the tears running down her face.

"I'm...sorry you had to see me like that...again, sweet little Lily-pad~..." Shelby tried using her old nickname for her daughter-figure. It managed to perk her up a little, as the younger girl sniffled and hugged her.

"It's ok, I just don't like seeing you mad, ok, Captain?"

"Ok, Lily..."

They turned, Lily's hand still intertwined with hers, and they started walking up the street to a local bar. They intended to book the place for the night right before the wedding for their bachelorette party.

Shell sighed. It was going to be a _long_ rest of the week. She smiled, though, as Lily did her math outside of her head, commenting on how they only had four and a half days and five nights left. She knew Lily probably suffered as much as she did, taking rumors just like the woman's on the bus. Except hers were probably twice as bad, since she had to endure opinions about her relationship _and_ Shell's. She frowned as the girl babbled about how the party would be such a hit.

She didn't want her daughter to suffer. She just hoped the wedding came and went faster than the rumors flew by, for her sake, and for Lily's, or she wasn't sure if they would make it...

...or if they would break under the tension...

* * *

***Senchou means Captain in Japanese**

**Ok, guys! I guess I owe a little bit of an explanation... Shelby Hartford is Doflamingo's fiancee, and Zaikia's OC. Lillianne Sarafina Bohemia is my OC and T. Law's em...I don't think girlfriend is the right word for it since he's not really a 'girlfriend' type of guy...so...I dunno the right word for it. Perhaps I'll call on my 17 years of vocabulary experience to find the correct word, but for now...she's his 'arm candy', we'll just say that.**

**Also, did anyone catch the amazing lyrical reference during Shelby's HUMONGOUS CAPITALIZED RANT? Yeah, I lyrically reference a lot...Cookies for anyone who knows where it comes from!**

**But yeah, most of my stories are wierd and romantic in a strange sort of way, as is shown here! Heh heh...**

**I have no excuses...*cries***

**If you wanna see the place Shell (Shelby) comes from, check out Zaikia's profile here on finfiction. net, or go to katsukonarumari4. deviantart .com!**

**Requests are always welcome, and haters make me famous (See? Lyrical reference!), don'****t forget to review, even if it include criticism~! Critiques are always a plus, and I take them to heart! (Pirates. The heart pirates. Where they are immediately eaten, digested, and ripped usunder)**

**I LOVE YOU GAIZ! Dx**


	4. Day Four of Hell

'Face forward and march. Face forward and march. Face forward and march. Face forward and march. Face forward and march.'

Shell continuously chanted this to herself _instead_ of ripping the heads off of the booing women _and men_ behind her. Unfortunately, Lily wasn't with her at the moment. Luckily, Law and Iva were. They were to go to the park and relax while Lily took care of the plane tickets and bridesmaids dresses. She also had to take Bepo, Shachi, and Penguin and get their suits tailored. Bepo, especially, since the adorable bear would be the ring-bearer.

That left Shell and Law with nothing to do. They were given a "mysterious" piece of paper with the word 'park' scribbled in Lily's chicken-scratch handwriting scrawled on it. Iva was sent with it, and decided to join them for the day. He (currently) would surprise them with his gender and apparel at the wedding, promising that it would match its colors. So, without a thing to do, he decided to accompany them to the park. Well, until he grew bored after the third magnolia tree they passed. However, the park idea seemed to be a terrible one, as some people were having a rally against the union between Doflamingo and his chosen bride.

The bride, which at the moment, was seething and held Law's hand in a death-clutch. Literally.

He gasped with pain, trying to gently pull his hand away without alarming Shell, yet was failing miserably. He pulled her towards the entrance of the gardens, and away from the angry mob. She follwed, albeit reluctantly. Once they passed the roses, they couldn't hear the shouts as loudly. It had become more of background noise. Being Friday, three days before 'the big day', it was well-known news that Doflamingo was tying himself down to someone a little better than himself. This didn't sit well with the jealous, and Shelby and the others were feeling it only half-way through Hell Week.

"Sh-shell...can you p-please...let go...of m-my hand?" Shell looked over at the struggling man and quickly released the grip she had on him. He sighed in relief and flexed his hand a few times, getting the blood circulation back into proper flow. "Miss Shell, please contain yourself. I have to deal with the taunts as well, mind you."

Shell apologized and turned to the pond nearby. She caught sight of some floating lily pads among the algae and ducklings following aimlessly behind their parent.

"Do you want to have children, Miss Shell...?" Law asked her, staring, lost in his imaginings at the very same pond she had turned her attention away from in order to address his question.

"Well...I don't think so...I'm not really a 'mom' type of person. I doubt Doflamingo is either..." She sighed and turned back to the lake when a thought struck her. "Though...Lily kinda _is_ a daughter to me...I can't really remember when I started thinking of her as one, but now...I think I'd do anything to protect her..."

'Now that I think about it, Doflamingo said he thinks of her as one, too...' She smiled a little, recalling the time when Lily was poisoned. It led to Doflamingo admitting how much he loves her. He proposed to her soon after, saying he wanted to be a father to Lillianne, and support her and Lily for the rest of their lives. Shell was speechless when he proposed, as he was normally a careless man who didn't keep women at all.

Law took note of her silence and cam over to stand beside her. "Shell, are you-"

* * *

"-ok?" Lily lightly touched Doflamingo's arm, gaining his attention. They sat inside the hotel Lily had rented for Shell and his separation. He had been fingering a small pendant that hung from a long silver chain. If worn, it would fall between the breasts of a person, well, to be more accurate a woman whose finger he was wrapped around. The pendant was in the shape of a cirle, and more specifically, was his jolly roger...before he was a shichibukai and gave his crew over to become the Bellamy pirates. He looked up to his daughter-

That had a nice ring to it..._his_ daughter...

He looked up at _his_ daughter when she tugged at his sleeve, silently asking him why he didn't answer. He grinned, "I'm fine. Could you get me a necklace box?" Lillianne smiled wide and turned away from him, running quickly over to her messenger bag. She carried everything _including_ the kitchen sink inside, for occasions such as this _and more_.

He looked back at the pendant thinking, 'Am I ok...? I know I love her...' He frowned. 'I'm getting paranoid...what people say doesn't matter. But still...she won't back out because of the rumors...will she?'

"Doflamingo, here's the box." Lillianne smiled up at him and held the plush white box up for him to take. He opened it and gingerly placed the pendant inside, closing it just as gently, then put the box inside his coat.

"Thank you, Lily. That will be all." He pet her head and stood up, intent on grabbing a nearby Baby Den-Den Mushi and calling Emporio Ivankov about a way to entertain himself. His bachelor party was to be held the night before the wedding - only a mere lonely two and a half days and three nights left. He wished it would be _here_ already! He was bored out of his mind, and was practically grinding his teeth away in frustration. He couldn't get a hold of Emporio, so he opted to simply go to the nearest bar and hopefully drown his boredome with alcohol...

But, Lily protested, saying she couldn't go in with him (which she probably couldn't), to which he just chuckled and patted her head again. She literally dug her heels into the carpeting as she held on the back of his feathery coat trying to prevent his exit from the hotel.

She needed new flipflops by the time he made it to his limo waiting outside.

She just sort of...stood there as he closed the door behind him. Looking really sad...

...ah, well. She wasn't sent to watch over him, she was just there because she was bored. He knocked on the glass to the driver and told him to take him to the nearest club. He leaned back against his seat and ran his hands over the smooth leather. He was actually sort of nervous. he only planned to sit next to the barkeep up at the counter, then head out once he had his fill. Being with Shell had made him entirely less sociable than he had once been during his times of hopping from woman to woman.

Once at his destinantion, he climbed out of the back of the limo, just like he normally would. This time, though, it was minus the blonde and redhead on either arm. He strode to the front entrance, past the other patrons who had most likely been waiting in line for literal hours, and past the security guards, and into the smoky atmosphere of the loud club. He dodged past bustling men and attractive women until he had pushed over to his destination. Once he sat on the barstool and was comfortable, he signaled the tender over to him and ordered an orange juice and a Bumbo for himself.

"_Lillianne..._" Though he smiled, it didn't hide the warning edge in his tone. Lily stepped out from behind a large, sweaty man and walked up to the bar.

"You left me." She stated simply before she sat up on the bartsool directly to his right, then placed her small hands on the tall glass with her juice inside.

"Eh. You're here now, aren't you? How did you find me, anyway?" He smirked, half-turning to her as she nibbled on the straw in her glass.

"Valid reasons." Another short, simple reply. He recieved his rum mixture and swiftly downed it, motioning for another without taking his eyes off of Lily.

"Hm..."

"Hm." She hummed back, eyes half-lidded in a bored staredown with the rack of alcohol that lined the walls behind the counter.

"Lily-"

"OI! GOT ROOM FER ANOTH'R?" A muscled guy asked, sitting down next to Lily. "HEY, TH'RE PURTY! WHATCHA GOT? A S'NSET S'NRISE...?" He leaned a _little_ too close to Lily for Doflamingo's comfort. "L'MME SEE 'ERE!" He snatched the glass from Lily's now shaking hands and took a big gulp. He smashed the glass against the counter shouting, "WH'T TH' HELL'S THIS SHIT? STUPID BITCH!"

Then he ran his hands onto the back of her head and pulled at a large chunk of hair, tilting her head back.

"YOU D'N'T DRINK FUCKIN' KID'S JUICE AT A M'THER FUCKIN' PARTY!"

Then things got out of hand.

* * *

Law suddenly stopped in his tracks.

"Law?" Shell turned to him, concerned that he had suddenly stopped. It was sunset now, and they had simpy walked and talked in the gardens the entire time. Mostly about future plans.

She was unsurprised to find out that he planned to propose to lily after the wedding. He even had the ring already bought - a circular amethyst set into a silver ring with a ring of swirls etched into the metal around the jewel.

Said man tilted his head up to her with a confused look on his face. "I have the sudden urge to punch someone in the face _as hard as I can_..."

Shell knit her eyebrows together and put a hand on his shoulder. "That...is strange...I feel the exact same way..."

* * *

Lillianne felt terrible.

She couldn't help it if it just kind of...slipped out...

Could she...?

She cringed as the man took another blow to his face. Then his neck snapped with one last hit, but no, it didn't end there. He was still alive. Then his back hit the bar's counter, breaking through the sheetrock, metal, and wood.

A large, slightly tanned hand engulfed her own, and she was dragged away from the scene and out of the door. Night had fallen, yet she doubted she would be able to sleep that night.

"Lillianne..." Doflamingo started when they were in the back of his limo, "listen, you have nothing to be ashamed of."

She knew what he was referring to.

She had moaned.

It had been a low, almost inaudible sound, yet audible to the parties involved in the fight. The man had smirked, and that's when Doflamingo jumped out of his seat and wrapped his hands around the man's neck. He walked out of that fight with a quadruplegic on the one hand, and a bruised cheek on the other. Lillianne walked out with tussled hair feeling ashamed of herself. She couldn't help that when someone grabbed her by the back of her hair and exposed her neck that she was instantly turned on. Like a snap of the fingers. There were only four things that turned her on like that, and that was the reason she usually kept her hair tied back in a ponytail. That was why her sensitive spot on her neck was never exposed, usually being hidden by necklace chains or her jacket. It was why she never straddled anyone that might be able to grind against her.

And that was why she never let anyone respect her enough to call her "ma'am" or "mistress".

She always hid behind others, fearing she would betray them if she spoke up or got too close. And she felt like she had done just that back in the bar. Tears started streaming down her face as she sobbed.

Doflamingo wrapped his arms around his daughter and held her as close to him as he could. He promised her she wouldn't have to suffer her one true fear again. Never again.

"You won't be alone, I promise. I forgive you, Law forgives you or else he gets his throat ripped out And Shell already knows better than to hold anything against you. You won't be alone." He shushed her and stroked her hair, gently working out the knots as she cried herself to sleep in his lap.

* * *

**OMGLOB GAIZ. I feel like this chapter was an excuse to make Doflamingo all fathery n stuff...opinion? Eh, whatever, what do I care?**

**...**

**...**

**I have all the care! *cries in a corner***

**Ok, so yeah, things are kinda heating up, and some of these characters are getting too OOC for my taste...but I'll tell you a secret.**

**I already have through Day 7 done.**

**MWAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAAAAA!**

**But yes, mwahaha and all that goodness (I really have no clue how I did that...)**


	5. Day Five of Hell

**Yeah! WOOHOO!**

**You guys have all made me a very happy kitten w See my penname? Mamuzelkittycat? A VERY VERY VERY HAPPY KITTEN.**

**Zaikia: YES. I AM TEH FUNNIEST. But you've already read my entire story on DA so idk why you're sayin' that here xD**

**WritingQueen14: Excuse me, Miss, while I also abuse the Caps Lock. HFHJFJWSGJDGDHEYDCBWHDKGN. And yes, I WILL keep updating whther you like it or NOT. o3o**

**You guys must feel sooo special. FEEL SPECIAL DAMMIT!**

**Oh yeah, get ready to be mindfucked, all you awesome readers.**

**Mindfuckery...**

**...BEGIN!**

* * *

"Face forward and march!"

It was a simple enough command. She could do this. She could get out of this.

Shell was currently a hostage.

A blindfolded hostage.

Because of Ivankov.

Shell decided to go for a walk, and Iva went with her. Law followed because he could. He was the first to spot him.

"Ivankov, blindfold Shell now! I'll deal with Doflamingo!"

Not what you thought, was it?

Ivankov wrapped a handkerchief around her eyes and commanded her, "Face forward and march, Shell-honey! We gotta get outta here now if we wanna make it through this alive! Lily will KILL both of you if you see each other!" He pushed her forwards, and away from the direction Law had gone. Shell couldn't see anything, but she did catch Law talking to someone before she was pulled roughly to the left.

Ivankov pulled the handkerchief from her eyes, allowing her sight back. She glared darkly at him, making him cringe as he explained, "Shell, Doflamingo was a mere few feet away from you! We can't allow you two to see each other, not before the wedding! It's considered bad luck, and the marriage won't last. Come on, don't glare at me like that..."

Shell softened her gaze on the cross-dresser. "I guess you're right...Ugh, I need rum..." She whisked past Iva to continue up the street they were on currently. It passed her thoughts just barely that maybe she should just turn around and see her flamingo already, regardless of Lily's wishes.

Her flats made an inaudible tap-tap noise against the pavement of the sidewalk as she turned another corner. Ivankov followed her, trying to calm her down since her aura sent chills up the spines of all who stood in her way as she passed them. She walked quickly, with purpose and growing vehemence.

Except that she really had no purpose, nor direction. She just wanted to be alone. She made more and more random turns until she finally couldn't hear footsteps behind her, but she still heard Iva's calls coupled with Law's since he had apparently joined up with her. They still sounded too close for comfort.

She ducked onto an empty street with old, closed down buildings, except one that had a bright purple and green neon sign that declared in Cursive lettering 'Miss Motes's Mystical Sanctuary'. Oh yeah, a shady shop in an abandoned alley with a neon sign that said 'Mystical Sanctuary' on it sounded _totally_ safe. But, hey, she wasn't one to complain. Especially since it sounded like they had gotten too close for her to stay hidden from them. Couldn't she just have _one_ moment of peace?

She quickly made her way across the narrow cobblestone alley to the barred windows and door, opened it, then shut the door behind herself so that if Law and Iva came ocross the alley, they wouldn't be able to find her. She waited a few minutes, watching out the window, then sighed in relief as they never showed up in her sights. She turned away from the dusty glass to examine her surroundings.

She was surrounded all right. There were purple sheets along every wall with celtic knots and stars in circles. She didn't detect any ill-will here, so giving into her curiosity, she began to explore the small hazy 'Sanctuary' as the sign had put it.

She ran her hands along the rows upon rows of various jars holding rocks and marbles and glass and various other shiny things inside. She took a closer look inside a jar with a label that boldly stated '**Moonstones - $1 a piece.**' She reached inside and pulled out a shiny white stone that looked like someone had taken milk and imprinted streaks of it into a semi-clear piece of smooth glass or marble in a rock shape. She placed the 'moonstone' back into the jar and placed the jar back onto the shelf in its original seat. She turned and continued further back, and soon found herself out of the hallway-like area and what seemed to be a gigantic replica of a Catholic church. Except for the few differences. For instance, instead of the giant stained glass window above the alter being a picture of Jesus, it looked like a faceless woman with long black hair and silver skin. She held her arms open like she was descending to embrace whoever faced her.

Shell walked to the middle of the Alter room and turned to see the rest off the gray and silver stone room. She looked around the top of the huge area at the level that the woman's stained glass portrait was at and saw more round stained glass windows, each about half the size of the main one above the alter, with various shades of lighting coming through their many colors. The pictures each posed different woman. She saw one of a woman with ivy vines and flowers of bright colors adorning her hair and body for clothing. She took note of one with wings on her helmet that rode a Pegasus through a pink sky, holding a bow and arrow. She took note of one redheaded woman who she thought REALLY looked like that one goddess she had heard of...Aphrodite, wasn't it? In the back, she saw what seemed to be a large alcove that could be used to look over the room she stood in. She felt quite uncomfortable, since she wasn't very religious, and was about to leave.

She felt compelled to stay, but sometimes that little nagging feeling in her gut got her into trouble so she stepped back over to the narrow hallway adorned with trinkets and jars, ready to leave.

"Leaving so soon...?" A male voice called to her. She knew that voice from somewhere... She turned to see a robed figure, his face shaded by his hood. Hell, he was barely a sillhouette with the light streaming in behind him, hitting his back in what seemed like a river of moonbeams.

"Yeah, nothing here interests me. I'm not very...religious." She spoke without emotion, the only expression on her features being her raised eyebrow when he held up an oversized deck of cards. The deck itself wasn't particularly thick, but the cards themselves were tall and wide. Too tall and wide to be poker cards, and the starry ocean sky design on the back didn't exactly sport the whole poker theme either.

"Would you like to have your fortune told...?" The baritone voice chided, "It's free of charge, always." He replaced the cards back into his black cloak and seemed to tilt his head curiously to the side.

Shell shrugged and turned to him, following when he beckoned her past the rows of iron benches, each adorned with different swirl and cirle designs. He led her to a dark doorway, and pulled out a lantern, lighting it, revealing a stairway leading up. He looked back to see if she was still following, and she noticed a splay of freckles on his cheeks. He smirked and led her up the stairs and around several corners. She analyzed every turn and corridor they proceeded through, memorizing the path incase this was a trap. They even went up two more flights of stairs, and past several doors. He opened a door at the end of a long hallway, and revealed the alcove she had seen earlier.

"Excuse me, sir, but where are you taking me...?" She asked with a chill to her tone - a warning of what she would do if he refused to answer.

She heard him scoff and growled low in her throat as he replied, "Exactly where I said I was. To get your fortune told." He smiled back at her, eyes and cheeks shaded, and led her across the alcove to the middle by the railing. "OI! MISTRESS! YOU GOT SOMEONE HERE TO SEE YOU!" He called over the stone railing to the area below. Shell looked over, seeing how high up they were and stopped when she saw the design on the floor she had ginored before.

It was an Ice Dragon, staring at her through Sapphire eyes of real jewels, spreading its great porcelain blue wings as though to fly up to her by leaping from its white stone legs and land upon the railing she leaned again, and snatch her up. It...bore an extremely strange resemblance to Lily's tattoos...Especially the snout. How strange...

She was startled back into a proper course of time and space when someone lightly touched her shoulder. She slapped the small hand away and quickly apologized when she saw who it belonged to. "Oh! Lily, I didn't...wait...who're you?" Shell was very confused, and looked around to try and get an answer from the hooded man, but he was already entering a room on the far side of the alcove, opposite from the door set into the wall they had entered from. In the back of the alcove, on the other side from the overlook, was an alter with blue candles set around it and all over it, with a single giant sapphire floating in the center of the celtic triple knot table it inhabited. She wandered over to get a closer look, entranced by the way the stone sparkled. As she got closer, her peripheral vision narrowed until the stone was all she saw.

She closed her sparkling hazel eyes.

* * *

And opened them again.

She did NOT see what she thought she would.

"Shell-sama! We gotta go!" She turned her head to the source of Lily's voice.

She REALLY did not expect to see THAT.

There she was, running across a green hill toward a tall tree with all sorts of embellishments and ornamentations upon its vibrantly green branches. It stretched for what seemed like over 100 feet with a thick trunk, and plentiful shading beneath it. Now the pink decorations weren't what got her. It was _her_ that got her.

Literally, it was _herself_. Lily was pulling another _her_ towards a tent with pink curtains to 'hide' whoever was inside. She couldn't really see herself, but she just _knew_. But why was there another _her_ there? At her wedding?

Wait. This was her wedding! This was _HER _wedding, and she was gonna miss it! She ran to the pink tent, seemingly tranporting since she didn't remember running, and she didn't feel breathless, nor fatigued. But she must have taken longer than she thought, because there _she_ was, with a sheer pink veil over her hair and face. It had black roses embroidered into it, all randomly placed and slowly entwining down the briar patch at the bottom edge of the veil in the back. She tried to run her fingers along the fabric, knowing it should be on her, but she missed when _she_ moved forward.

Shelby ran up to the other Shelby, but couldn't bring herself to touch the bride that tenderly paced down the aisle to the slow tune of Ludwig van Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata, played on piano courtesy of Brook, Luffy's musician.

The other Shell stopped in front of a hazy figure who Real Shell recognized vaguely as Doflamingo. The sonata continued on, more quiet than it had been when the tearful bride passed by her awaiting patrons and guests, as Fake Shell was passed off by a man she determined was her father-figure, Crocodile. She would sometimes wonder why she picked him, but then she remembered how he ahd been kind to her even though she didn't deserve it. Yet, here he was, at _her_ wedding, smiling behind his cigar, handing her off to...

"Nice wedding, eh?" Someone in a completely sea blue dress and shawl with what looked like a veil or sheet or burka...it covered her entire being, except for her hands, but that was it. It was lacy and looked like it was soaked with water, but shiny like silk, and didn't drip with water.

"Who're you?" All was silent, and Shell didn't exactly feel scared, but she was wary. She turned to examine the marrying couple, but everything had faded to complete whiteness now.

"I am the Oracle of this Sanctuary." The Oracle lifted her veil and revealed herself to be the woman she had glanced at before turning to the sapphire stone in the first place. "My name is Jessica Motes and I am the seeress of this sanctuary. You made contact with the Dracontias-"

Shell interrupted, demanding answers, "That big sapphire? Why was it floating li-"

Jessica held up her hand and pushed the glasses on her nose up before explaining, "That is not a sapphire. It was floating because of its magical properties. It is used for divination, cleansing, and foresight. It is called a Dracontias, a stone that is located in the center of the forehead of a Dragon, inside of their third eye. I am the caretaker of this Sanctuary, and in turn, take care of the stone and its Celtic Alter."

Shell was dumbfounded. Magic...spells...third eyes...

She turned from the Oracle, and ran to the door. She was back in the real world after her freak-out, running down the corridors and turning the corners the cloaked figure had taken her through. She heard the girl calling after her and ran faster, trying to get away from this insane woman and the...Dragon's Eye. She fell flat on her ass when she flung open the door into the main area and knocked into someone. It was the hooded fi-

"ACE?" Shell cried out in alarm.

Then she blacked out.

* * *

**And this, children, is why we don't eat tons of sugar then try to sleep and end up writing fanfiction instead. Actually, this is the reason The Coat of One Color was written. I got stuck trying to think of a plot for this chapter, and I ended up writing TCOOC instead... And then I was annotating Dancing With Dragons by D. J. Conway (Go read her books, they fucking ROCK, though her info is kinda off), and I thought, 'Meh, why the hell not?' And so here we are, with a cameo featuring me, an old beloved friend of every One Piece fangirl EVER, and a ton of Wiccan influence. All rolled into one beautiful package.**

**You guys probably hate me.**

**But yeah, my spirit anima (I type it that way for legit valid reasons) is an Ice Dragon, and whenever I write ANYTHING about Wicca, she sorta sneaks in there.**

**DAMN YOU LILLIANNE!**

**Stick around for Day Six of Hell, all you fancy gentlemen!**


	6. Day Six of Hell

"...face forward and march. Then she will be passed off...odile."

Shell faded in and out of listening to Lily's voice. Did she get sick or something? Her voice sounds rough and a little less used than normal.

"Then...flamingo kisses her. After that she will..."

Shell opened her eyes a crack and then squinted them shut again against the rays of light beaming from the candles beside the bed sitting on the mantle just level with wherever she was laying. She felt like she was laying on her side, and eveything from her shoulders down was warm. Her face, neck, and nose felt extremely chilly. She tuned back into the conversation that was happening between-

Shell snapped her eyes open as she realized she _probably_ wasn't in her bed, and she _most likely_ hadn't been dreaming, especially since the proof was right there in front of her TALKING TO SOMEONE WHO LOOKED ALMOST EXACTLY LIKE LILY. The only difference was that this Lily was wearing a black cloak and glasses.

"Now, I have to get back to the alter and fill in more of my _Grimmoire_, so you stay here and guard Miss Shell."

"Yes Mistress," came Ace's reply, "What should I do if she wakes up? She'd be pretty surprised to know I'm...sort of alive."

"Don't worry about it, we'll deal with it if she wakes up. If you need me, I'll be putting information into a book. Call if you need anything, "She turned to the door and continued on as she was walking out, pulling the door behind her, "don't eat anything that you don't know what it is, don't get kidnapped, raped, or killed, blah blah blah, the whole shi-bang." Then she shut the hard hard behind her and Ace turned back to her.

"Oh!" He smiled widely at her. "You're awake! Um...don't freak out, please?"

Shell looked passively at him, as though she weren't even seeing him. He gulped and started again, a little more nervous, "Let me just explain. Um...well, I guess I should start off with what Mistress told me to..." He coughed once into his fist and spread his arms, smiling wide, and as cheerfully as he could muster, he rehearsed, "WELCOME TO **LIMBO**!" He laughed, then suddenly stopped and keeled over, huddling in a corner with a great big depression bubble complete with dark rainy clouds around him.

"Uh...I don't follow." Shell couldn't make sense of what was going on at all. "I...we all thought you were dead Ace...Why have you been hiding all this time...?" She felt tears forming in the edges of her sight as emotions of betrayal and hurt snuck up into her.

"N-no, listen Shell..." He coughed and turned to her with blood dripping from his lips, "I am still dead. If I had a choice now, I would gladly live again, but I can't. Not right now. I haven't healed fully while in Limbo yet." He lifted his cloak at the middle parting and showed her his abdomen.

And there was the wound.

'He...shouldn't be walking...talking...even breathing!' Shell gasped and covered her mouth in shock. 'What...what is going on...?' She thought in horror. She must have shown it on her face because then Ace quickly covered himself back up with the cloak.

"I'm really not supposed to exert myself at all. My organs haven't completely healed up yet. They can still be broken. I still feel pain, but I can't die. Really, I'm nothing but a tangible ghost right now. Please don't be scared Shell! I'm the same guy, but it's gonna be a while before I'm...who I was..." He finished sadly. He glanced up at Shell, hopeful that she would accept this turn of events.

But she just stood there. He couldn't read her at all. He hesitated before speaking again, "I...could give you the grand tour if you want...and I'll take you to the Mistress if you want more answers. Please don't be mad Shell..." He flinched when she raised her hand.

But she just held it there with only one finger raised. "On ONE condition. I want to get outta here and get to my damn-"

* * *

"-wedding, we'll be cooked for sure!" Iva raised _her_ hands to her hair, pulling it in frustration and agony. "We especially need her for the bachelorette party!"

"How are we supposed to have a bachelorette party without a bride?" Lily joined in. "She's been gone for a whole day! AN ENTIRE DAY, IVA-SAMA!" Lily clutched Ivankov's shoulders and shook her madly, tears streaming from the little red-head's eyes.

Ivankov cried with her and they huddled down together in sadness. Strangers gave them funny looks as they passed the saddened girls by.

"OH SHELL~!" They cried out together, "WHERE ARE-"

* * *

"-you kidding me? A _stripper bar_? That's your idea of relaxing...?" Law's tone was flat when he adressed Shachi and Penguin, his subordinates.

"Yeah Captain!" Shachi spoke up, "It'll be fun!"

"How is it fun if it's not _my beloved angel~_?" A depressed voice swayed through the room to them, hitting them head-on with vibes of boredom and despondency. Law sighed and pinched the birdge of his nose, frustrated with the suggestion his nakama had provided.

"Boys, we can't take him to a stripper bar to relax, because he won't relax. The strippers are _not_ Shell-ya and, therefore, wil not amuse, nor relax Doflamingo in the slightest." He finished, lamely holding his hand up in an I-really-don't-care-for-this-topic-and-your-ideas-are-pretty-idiotic-anyway-so-I'm-gonna-hold-my-hand-palm-up-to-show-it kind of way. Penguin and Shachi deflated, unhappy that they didn't satisy their captian.

Bepo piped up, "Would there be any female bears?"

"SHUTUP, BEPO!" The two very depressed Heart pirates chimed together.

"Sorry," came Bepo's reply. His ears perked up and he brought his head back up as another thought struck him. "Captain, what if we gave him a picture of Shell?"

Doflamingo sobbed from his corner, then pulled out his wallet, holding it up to the side so everyone could see...

...and then a long wallet insert spilled out, unfolding to reveal a large quantity of photographs. All containing Shell.

"Oh. Sorry." Bepo hung his head in shame again and Law sighed, rubbing his temples to try and rid himself of the ever-growing headache that currently plagued him.

* * *

"And this is, as you know, the Alter Room. Basically, any of us who are still around and healing that stay long enough, pray in here during the monthly Circle that our Mistress hosts." Ace led Shell over to the Lily-look-alike and introduced her. "Mistress, as you know, this is Shelby Hartford, Doflamingo's fiancee. I just finished giving her the grand tour!" He gestured happily to the woman behind him and smiled at his supposed 'Mistress'. She put down her cloak's hood (as it had been on when he spoke to her) and set down the...normal...everday fountain pen...that she had previously been writing into a red leather book that looked old and worn with.

"Ah, it's a pleasure to finally be officially introduced to you, Miss Shelby!" The Mistress tuck out her hand, which Shell responded to by crossing her arms.

"Call me Shell. I don't tolerate _that_ name." She stated crossly.

"Ah, and is it because of your biological family, Miss Shell?" She smiled wide and pulled a shocked Shell over by her bicep. "Take a look, Shell. This, "She waved her hand over the scenery in front of them that lay behind the pedestal that the book was perched on, "is Limbo. Not what you thought, is it? I mean, when someone says 'Limbo', even _I_ go, 'Hey, you're talking about a great big black expanse, right?' Well, that's wrong. This is the sanctuary for all those One Piece characters who have died and need time to heal before being reborn. I try my hardest, and sometimes we get into wars, "She looked pointedly at Ace who was now taking a rag and wiping some dust from the first bench on her right, "and we barely have enough room to fit them all! But do you know how we manage it?"

Shell shook her head and pulled away from the girl, only to get grabbed again around her upper body by her seemingly weak right arm. "_Magic_, Shell. Ace might call it Haki, and you might call it chance, while others might call it blasphemy, but here's the truth, Shelly-baby:" Shell felt her eye twitch, "It's straight-up MAGIC. It guides us, and moves through us, and heals our hurt souls. Tell me Shell, did you ever meet a hurt soul and want to help it?"

"No." Came Shell's reply.

But then she took it back. Wasn't Lily broken when she found her? All alone...her greatest fear, even to this day...

"Not even Lily...?" The Mistress looked shocked.

"Well...y-yeah..." Shell looked down as her cheeks heated with shame. "How do you know her anyway? You don't know us, and we don't know you! How can you know anything about us?"

"Actually, I do know you, and Lily, too. And you know me-"

"We can't! I don't even know your name!"

"Yes you do." The Mistress tilted her head to the side. "You must had hit your head on that last stairstep harder than we thought...I told you during your vision."

Shell wrinkled her eyebrows in confusion and thought back...

'But that girl...she was wearing a blue cloak and veil...she was like an erethreal being from some other dimension, one who couldn't possibly co-exist tangibly with others unlike her.'

"B-but...she..."

"Was me. I am not from the One Piece world. I am an Orcale from your world, and the only way I exist there is through Lillianne, my beautiful dragon. Calm down and sit on that bench, and I'll explain..." She pointed to the bench opposite of where Ace stood, polishing away, which Shelby gladly took without argument.

"Now listen closely..." The Mistress began.

And Shell was...shell-shocked with the news she brought. Apparently, Lily was the manifestation of this mistress's ice-dragon spirit. She was sent to keep Shelby in the Goddess's favor, protecting her from death until her old age came. Apparently, this 'mistress' really was the 'Jessica' from her dream...er...vision. Apparently, the Dracontias had chosen her to see her wedding, so she would be reassured of the love Doflamingo had for her, and that she had for him. Apparently, souls from the One Piece universe came to this sanctuary, which was watched over and protected by Jessica's 'Goddess of the Moon' (the faceless silver woman in the stained glass window), to heal, then they were reborn. Except for the souls that died of old age. They went immediately to new bodies. That is what had happened to Whitebeard, which Shell was saddened to hear that she would see no more of him until they met up sometime during his next life. And apparently, Shell had been born to be held by Doflamingo's awaiting arms for thirteen lives now, which _apparently_ was a lucky number here.

"Did you know that this was the first time you had ever married him ?" Jessica asked quietly, with a knowing smile on her face. "Every life before this, your plans of eloping were thwarted by someone or another. But you've had a good life this time around. I sent Lily all those times, and I guess she finally was able to carry out her dream. Sad to see she hasn't found her soul brother out on the open seas yet, but hey! One dream at a time, right?" Her smile widened until her teeth showed, and she started giggling and laughing.

Shell smiled at the now obvious likeness and stood. "Thank you, Miss Motes. I should leave now, I have a marriage to attend."

"Oh! You have only gotten one of your three gifts! The best things come in threes, you know." Jessica winked and brought out a necklace from the folds of her cloak. It had a Moonstone in it, but this one looked slightly different from the rest she had seen back in the 'passage between worlds', which was the shop part of the sanctuary. The one that was held to a silver chain around Jessica's neck had silver metal looping around it to keep it in place, and what looked like pure white moonbeams bursting and curling around the smooth glass surface. Jessica removed the necklace from her neck and strode over to Shell.

"Keep this on you, for protection. Hang it about Lily's neck when _her_ time comes for marriage, ok? For me? I really don't want her knowing about me. Not _quite_ yet." Shell placed the necklace delicately into her pocket.

"That's a gift that is passed from one to another. For your third gift...hm..." Jessica tapped her chin thoughtfully and and finally brightened up, pointing her finger up as though she had come up with something brilliant. She grabbed the back of Shell's neck and yanked her down. Then she...kissed her...forehead...

"Um...what the fu-"

"You're gonna make a great grandmother!" Jessica laughed and shoved Shell forward, towards the exit. "Now, go get'em tiger! You got a bachelorette party awaitin' ya'!" She laughed once more and shoved Shell out the door, before closing it.

Shell glared angrily back at a closed and boarded up shop door.

'W-wait...what just...happened?' She stepped back over to the door and knocked lightly. Then peered into the dusty window and squinted. After a few moments of seeing nothing, she turned away nervously. 'That...was the strangest experience...of my life...'

Then she walked off down the unfamiliar alley, ready to go home to he daughter and old friend, especially since it was around sunset now.

* * *

Meanwhile...

"OH SHELLLLLLLL~!"Ivankov and Lily wailed together, now in the hotel room sobbing, tears making pools of saltwater at their knees.

"SHEEEELLLL! COME BAAAAACCCCCKKKKKK!"


	7. Day Seven of Hell

"Face forward and march!"

Lily shoved her captain towards black double door leading _the most_ amazing club in town.

How she got reservations, what with her age and status, Shell had no idea.

"Lily I hate being ordered around! Stop pushing me!" She glanced warily at the Bouncers standing with crossed arms by the door and Lillianne went up to the tall, skinny man flipping through a clipboard with a small amount of papers attached.

"Oi!" She yelled at the man, startling him from his musings.

"What, little girl? No children all-"

"Yeah, yeah, shut the trap." She motioned with her hand like she were closing a mouth. "We're on the list. Shelby Hartford's Bachelorette party. We rented the whole place out to ourselves? Should have Lillianne S. Bohemia as the second guest. Shelby Hartford as the first. Has Emporio Ivankov in the 'possibly attending' section?" She leaned against one of the metal poles that held up the thick red ropes and gazed boredly at the now nervous man. He chuckled and glanced down at the list.

"E-em...I'm g-gonna need proof of identification..."

"Identify **this**!" Lily threw a fist at his face, but stopped mere centimeters from it as he flinched. "Hahahahaha! You're so easy to scare~..." She got an evil glint in her eye. "You know full well that I'm who I say I am, and Shell-sama, "She waved at said woman, "is herself. You wanna keep arguing? Just keep it up. See if I don't turn this place into a fucking _bloodbath_." She glared menacingly at the trembling man. He laughed nervously and opened the ropes for them to make their way through.

"W-welcome! We hope y-you enjoy your s-stay..."

Lillianne skipped merrily inside. Shell followed close behind and faintly heard what sounded like someone wretching up their lunch as the Bouncers closed the door.

"So Lily, who else is on the list...?" Shell began slowly, unsure if Lily would have another..._moment_ like the one back at the doors.

"Everyone." Came her short reply, which was reaffirmed when they stepped into a hazy, loud atmosphere bursting with music and bright vibes. Shell could handle this. She could handle the bar that was set up near the middle of the right wall. She could even handle the insanely loud EVERYTHING. But, Shell found herself at a loss for words when it came to the male strippers.

Yes.

The male strippers.

What.

The fuck.

Shelby tried her best to ignore the men scantily clad in an assortment of different clothing items, each respectively showing off their best features and given theme. She almost lost her carefully held composure when a Lolita boy strolled passed her...with several Beris in his skirt.

Yes, my friends, some were cross dressing.

Shell made her way away from Lily - who at this point was talking animatedly to Vivi Nefertari.

'So everyone showed up, huh? That's nice of 'em...I wonder if they'll be at the ceremony...' Shell sat down on a stool aligned with the bar counter and ordered herself a Sunrise Sunset. She had barely gotten a sip in when her glass exploded. I repeat, exploded.

"Hey, _Queen of Shadows_. Just thought I'd drop in and say _hello_. Remember me?" Shell felt her eye twitch and wondered what kind of shit security would let _her_ in.

"How could I not...?" Shell scoffed and lifted her eyes to meet the image of someone she couldn't even think of forgetting anytime soon.

* * *

Doflamingo smirked as more strippers filed through the crowd serving drinks and generally doing what strippers do best. That's right, getting money from unsuspecting men with appetites for women's flesh. Already the bachelor party had gone off without a hitch. He had Ivankov and Law to thank for that. But something was missing...

His face fell at the thought of _her_. His beloved Shell-bell. He hoped she was having a better party than he was. Not that he was having a bad party, he just wanted her to have a better one. He wouldn't want something to ruin her fun on the night before they were finally together again.

'Oh gods.'

'What if _she_ shows up?'

Doflamingo put a hand to his head and scowled. His peach fuzz eyebrows knit together with worry. He hoped for everyone's sake that _she_ didn't show up to _either_ of their parties. She had a certain _way_ of getting past security.

"Dofla-sannnn~! Is something the matter~?" Ivankov pranced over, twirling about with two blonde girls trailing behind him twirling at the same speed and timing.

"You do seem quite upset." Law stated, sipping casually at his glass of-

"ACK! How do you keep doing that? Wait, is that Asbach?" Doflamingo peered closely at the glass in Law's hand.

"Yes, and doing what, Doflamingo-ya?" He smirked and took a big gulp of the strong liquor he held.

"Sneaking up on people like that!" Doflamingo shot beck, irked that Law could so casually take information and strange questions the way he did.

"Boys, if I may interrupt, but a certain _someone_ hasn't answered my question yet~!" Iva twirled again, twirling the blondes with him, then shooing them off into the crowd. Doflamingo lounged back into his cushioned 'throne' that sat at the very back of the main room in the strip club they had rented out.

"Yes, that's right. Doflamingo, we spent all of this money and time so that you could have a nice bachelor party before getting tied down to your long-time lover. What's got you so down? If I may say so, you even look slightly concerned." Law peered at the fellow Warlord, who sighed and looked down at his feet.

"Law, Ivankov, do you remember a girl named Mary Rose Lily Sunflower Fight Fella Cat Music Player Three Computer Pink Cellphone White Ipod Jealous Television Words Susie-Nico, the Queen of Love?"

* * *

"Achoo!" It was the cutest sneeze anyone had ever heard. Well, almost the cutest. Lillianne's were much cuter, but then again, everything Mary did was considered absolutely adorable, so at the moment, Lily didn't count. "Someone must be talking about me...IT MUST BE MY DEAREST LAW-CHAN~!"

"Mary R. L. S. F. F. C. M. P. T. C. P. C. W. I. J. T. W. Susie-Nico, the Queen of Love, self-proclaimed lover of Trafalgar Law, and alleged long-lost sister Of Nico Robin. Aka, Mary Sue. It's been a long time. Not too long, but long enough that I've been craving kicking your ass. Do you know what would happen if Lillianne knew you were here?" Shelby glared cold daggers at Mary, willing her to disappear.

"HA! I would stomp her ass into the ground! But not right now, this fight is between you and me! You hurt my bestest friend in the whole world's feelings, and broke her arms! Now you're gonna pay. Get ready, cause here comes my revenge for Fae Undying Chrysanthemum Kaelynn Trinity Alucard Regina Demon!" She raised her hands high in the air and called upon her Kaze-Kaze no Mi. She brought down the palms of her hands.

And then got stuck through the chest with a bottle of Asbach.

"Well, that took care of that~." Lillianne plucked the bottle from between the perfect Double-H cups of Mary and downed the rest of it.

"Oi~! Captain! I'm gonna wanna get 'n elephant! I'm FUCK as DRUNK! Ern..I dunn-"

Lily's rambling was cut off as the ragged blood-filled sweet tinkling bell-like voice of Mary Sue rang through the tense atmosphere that enveloped the few by the bar. "Y-you won't get...away with this! M-my brother, Shiloh Haggrid Icecap Toronto Fanboy Angelican Christ Edward the Third will get you f-for this! In f-fact, he's over at the s-strip club, going to kill your husband right n- HEY! Don't ignore me!"

Shell had simply sat down, taking another sip of her drink. She was determined to enjoy the rest of the party, Mary Sues and Gary Stues be DAMNED.

"He can handle-"

* * *

"-himself, so calm down. Shiloh H. I. T. F. A. C. Edward the Third is not that big of a deal. Detach yourself from my waist immediately, Ivankov."

"I just really enjoy your company." Emporio stated simply, crossing his arms.

Law just sighed.

Doflamingo dodged yet another ball of pure energy that flew at him. He raised one leg and brought the sole of the shoe attached down onto the unsuspecting Shiloh's face. I mean, who could _ever_ think about hurting the most perfect and powerful man on the face of the planet?

Apparently Doflamingo.

Said man brought his foot down to crush the air-filled skull of the fanboy that glared defiantly up at him.

Well, you know, when he still had a face.

"Well, that solves that. Let's continue partying~!" And with that everyone broke out into the Thriller dance. Even Brooke.

**Especially Brooke.**

* * *

**THIS IS THE OBLIGATORY MARY SUE AND GARY STU INSERT CHAPTER.**

**Special thanks to Zaikia-chan for helping me figure out the Queen of Love's name!**

**Moar special thanks to my big brother, onathan, for helping me think up the idea of naming Mary's best frien and brother with names that represent cusswords. xDDD**

**Ah, and special thanks to Brooke!**

**ESPECIALLY. BROOKE.**

**I think that's it then...**


	8. The Big Day Begins

**Yay! An update! Yes, I finally updated! No, I wasn't dead, but I might as well have been. I was stuck when writing part 2...But here is part 1, and part 2 is done, but needs editing, so that should be done soon~!**

* * *

'Face forward and march.'

Shelby Hartford had fought long and hard to get where she was.

'Face forward and march.'

Shelby had survived many seemingly impossible battles.

'Face forward and march.'

Shelby was prepared for this last big battle before her new life.

'Face forward and march.'

She finally got up the courage and pushed open the towering white door in front of her.

"MAMA!" Shelby was tackled, and looked down to see blood enter her vision.

Oh, that isn't blood.

"Lillianne, get off so I can get up." Shell untwined herself from the tight grasp that her daughter-figure had around her, then got off of the polished tile floors so she could head over to the awaiting bride's party. She recognized all of them immediately, and was thankful that she wouldn't be dressed by complete strangers.

The five women got to work as soon as Shell stood steady on the small platform set up in front of the mirrors. Nami, Robin, being from Luffy's crew and pretty good friends of Lily, offered help. Boa Hancock wanted to experience a real wedding, so she came along as well. She somehow convinced Hina, who brought along Tashigi, so now Shell had a bride's party of five women who, hopefully, knew what they were doing.

"Gimme the slip, I'll put it on once you have her clothes off." Hina ordered Nami.

"Here ya go. Hey, don't snatch it! You'll rip the silk!" She gently gave the fine silk slip over to the marine, then glared as she reached over to grab a few pins so she could start pinning Shell's hair up and out of the way.

"Girls, calm down. Where's the dress? And the veil?" Robin looked about, searching for her targets.

"I've got both over here!" Tashigi exclaimed, pointing to a walk-in closet.

Hancock piped up, "Are they-"

* * *

"-hanging up?" Shachi, one of the assistants for Doflamingo, asked.

"Yes! Why wouldn't they be?" Penguin replied, anger obvious even with his eyes shadowed by his hat.

"Duh, because you're an idiot!" Shachi shot back.

"Am NOT!" Penguin retorted.

The two men went for each other's throats when Law stepped in. "If you two don't stop, I will kick you out of this wedding."

"Captain, I have the corsages for the bridesmaids. Where should I take them?" Bepo asked, his voice only rising above the steaming argument between his nakama.

Law smiled and pointed to the exit of the room, "Take them to the bridesmaids in the Bride's Tent, Bepo."

"Why do I need assistants again? I can dress myself!" Doflamingo complained, slipping on some black boxer shorts.

"Because you _can't_ dress yourself." Ivankov looked pointedly at his old friend's chosen spouse. "Just look at some of the gaudy things you wear! Ugh! Look at those ties!" He pointed at the ties Doflamingo held up, trying to deicde which one to wear. "Lillianne would have an absolute _fit_!" He snatched both from Doflamingo's grasp and ushered him over to the bathroom, where he was handed off to Law and a disturbed-looking Usopp.

* * *

Ok, so scratch her wedding being the last difficult battle before her new life.

She was losing the battle with this _corset_.

Shell gasped for breath as her insides were squeezed through what felt like a black hole.

"Captain, stop squirming. If you want your dress to fit you correctly, you have to wear this." Lillianne tugged harder, and like the mystical, magical being she is, she tied the laces on Shell's corset and moved away so that Nami and Robin could pull the tight-fitted dress on over her head.

"Raise your arms or they can't get it on you." Hina barked, startling Shell. She raised her arms quietly, and wondered if it was possible to become a stick. She was pretty sure she was one right now.

"Now, once that is on, I have the skirt support for the outer dress." Hancock explained, holding up a lighter pink fabric.

'Oh gods, there's more than one?' Shell struggled to breath as Boa came over with the plain skirt that _supposedly_ would support the extra weight that the girls plotted to put on her.

She was already wearing two layers, and suspected the extra two were Lily's idea of protecting her precious Shell-sama from the "horrors" that awaited her after the ceremony and reception.

She felt like she wouldn't make it out the door.

* * *

Meanwhile, two cloaked figures made their way through the bustling crowd of guests outside the tent.

Everyone was trying to set everything up perfectly for the 'Big Day'. They all wanted seats, and they all wanted to be there for the pinkest of all the weddings anyone has ever attended.

Ever.

"Do you suppose she's in the tent already?" The figure in an all-white cloak asked the shorter figure in the ice-blue cloak with an obviously male voice.

"Yes, that is already done. I'm excited, aren't you?" The feminine voice queried.

"You don't sound excited." The white cloaked man looked down at the shorter woman and placed a tanned hand upon the top of her blue veil. He slightly ruffled the silky cover before inserting his hand back into the folds of his own fabric. They continued back into the crowd, moving towards two empty seats on the front row

"This will be a very interesting wedding to say the least. I hope she doesn't forget to give-"

"Jeez, for the last time, she won't forget to place it about _her_ neck before her ceremony! I doubt she would be so careless. This is Shelby we're talking about. She'd take better care than that." The man sighed out, helping the woman down into her chair before sitting down in his own beside her.

"Do you think she appreciated the-"

"Yes." Came the short answer before he directed his shadowed face over to Brooke, who was helping set up a piano for the Bride's Walk.

* * *

"Captain, her fiancee nearly killed you last time you appeared somewhere, I doubt we should be going to her _wedding_." A man with long blonde hair stood beside his Captain as they sailed toward a landmass that grew larger with each passing second that they sailed towards it.

"I don't care. One more remark out of you, and I'll have to throw you into the ocean, understand, Killer? I know you want to see her musician again anyway. Don't speak to me about doubts. Go fucking anchor us before I decide to remove that masked head from your shoulders." Eustass Kidd growled at his first-mate before directing his attention back to the island that was hosting the ceremony for his ex.

He was fucking _determined_ to go to it. He may have been an asshole, and ruthless, but she still meant something to him, and he wanted to see her smile again. He hadn't seen it in years, especially since she scowled everytime he was seen.

He grinned maliciously and thought of times when she was still _his_ arm candy.

'Let the fun begin.' He thought with a sadistic laugh.

* * *

Law smirked as Doflamingo struggled to hold his arms up any longer. He enjoyed the look of obvious discomfort on the groom's face.

"All done~! Now get the hell to the alter before I kick off in your fine pink and black ass~!" Ivankov smacked Doflamingo's ass out the door, startling him. He grumbled, rubbing the sore spot as he sauntered down the hall. He made his way out of the building and tried to peer past the somewhat sheer pink tent that, no doubt, held his Shell-Bell inside.

"Oi! Lookin' good, Doflamingo!" Penguin laughed and patted the older, taller man on his back. Shachi joined the two and grinned up at him. The two Heart Pirates laughed and wrapped their arms around the other's shoulders and gave Doflamingo a thumbs up with their free hands.

'They are obviously already drunk. I knew it meant bad news when Law said that their was an open alcohol bar nearby.

He sighed and watch the boys stumble away and turned back to the alter when two cloaked figures got up and moved towards it. They stopped in front of the flustered pastor, and started speaking in hushed, gentle whipers. He nodded his head, and from the fold of the shorter one's blue cloak, a thick red leather book was pulled and replaced the Bible sitting on the alter. He eyed it curiously before a couple more men came up to him, wishing to give him their congratulations.

* * *

**DRAMA BOOOMMBBB!**

**Cookies to anyone who catches any of the crazy love drama and further plotline in this. And I am sorry it took so long.**

**DON'T KILL ME, PLEASE!**

**Please review...It puts a smile on my face...**

**I'm updating this story through stolen internet connection! The whole time it was uploading, I was sitting on my sister's couch going, "Please don't die on me please don't die on me please don't die on me."**

**Special thanks to WritingQueen14 (I think thats her penname. If I'm wrong, punch me in my fat face) and to Zaikia! I LOVE BOTH OF YOU!**


	9. The Big Day Continues

Face forward and march.

Until today, that phrase had brought Shell comfort, wisdom, and guidance. Until today, that phrase brought peace. Now, today, it brought torment and discord.

Shelby was getting married today, and she didn't know if she was ready. Well, to live the rest of her life with the man she loved, she knew she was ready for. The ceremony of binding itself? She didn't know. She thought she wanted an improvised wedding, but she was quickly losing confidence.

It was deadly silent outside.

Or maybe the blood pumping in Shell's ears was too much for her to hear the idle chatter among the many guests?

She twitched nervously as her bride's party went and got ready for her 'big moment'. She stared at her new look in the mirror.

Tall. That was the first thing that registered to her. She looked very...tall. She wasn't sure if she could step down the isle next to whoever Lily chose to send with her and make it safely to the other side _without_ an accident.

The second thing she noted was the custom dress Lily had ordered on the first day of _Hell Week_. A long, dark carnation pink evening gown; it covered her feet. A second layer was added for flair. It was a simple white skirt with square edges. The third layer covered her corset, breast, and her upper shoulders, along with a bit of her neck. It laced to cover her slender neck, and flaired over her under skirt , ending a bit above where her ankle would be. Its edges were lined with five black roses, all lined up to meet the third rose on the corners. It was a lighter pink that the original dress. The final piece of her ensemble - minus the bouquet - was her veil. A sheer blushing color, with random black roses all leading down to a briar patch of black embroidered into the delicate fabric. It would only be two layers - one for her hair, and one for her face.

Her face...

She looked up at her face, and noted the makeup work of Boa Hancock. She was good, she had to admit. Shell was scared that if her old friend Ivankov had done it...well, it wouldn't have ended so well.

She led her eyes further up to her hair, which Lily had helped do. It was pulled up to one side and held up in a ponytail. Her highlights were accentuated between locks of Chestnut brown, and seemed to curl a bit at the ends. He bangs were pulled in just the right way to stay out of her eyes, but still seemed to carry the ensemble to a certain point of elegant, young beauty.

She was almost startled into falling off of her perch on her stand when the door to the room banged open.

* * *

Lillianne looked about at the chaos fratically. She certainly _felt_ like a wedding planner. Ofcourse, firing the wedding planner in the middle of setting up the ceremony probably hadn't helped matters at all...

She observed Boa Hancock zipping up her dress with great disdain. Lily knew she didn't like the dress, but if she wanted into the wedding - even if only to see Luffy - and to be a part of the Bride's Party, she needed to match, dammit! Lily had to go through hell to get the right size in the right dress at literally the last second. Literally meaning two hours before they were to start setting up. Oh, how she felt blessed to have connections via Iva-chan...

She closed her eyes and let out a long sigh. She wanted to see Law. It would calm her nerves. But with them promising not to see each other a week before the wedding, so as to suffer the great wedding tradition with Shell-sama and Doflamingo, she couldn't. It never helped that he was to be the ring-bearer.

She just hoped the preacher showed up like she planned.

Ivankov skipped into the room and made _her_ way over to the changing screens. She lifted her frilly, pink tutu from the hook nearby, and went behind the screens to ready herself to toss the flowers onto the path before the bride.

'Where is Bonney?' Lily felt like pulling her hair out in frustration. She ran a hand up her torso, over her breast, and up to her chest. She rubbed her neck unconciously and dropped her hand back to her side. She felt a major headache coming on, and nearly panicked when Nami suddenly yelped. But it was ok, because she had only fallen over when putting her dress on.

"Oi, where's the buffet table?" Lily felt like crying in happiness. Bonney had _hopefully_ brought one of her crewmates to hold Shelby's train as she strode down the 'aisle', which was really just a path leading to a patch of shade under the biggest tree in the town's forest. They were lucky that there was a field around it, and a big one at that. Big enough to hold a wedding complete with a stage for the reception, the ceremony itself, and the preparation buildings and tents. Speaking of which, She needed to get Shelby to the Bride's Tent at the beginning of the 'aisle' she was supposed wed at the end of.

Lily hugged Bonney, directed her to the screens where Robin was holding up Bonney's evening gown for the reception and the dress which she was going to wear for the ceremony.

Now, anybody who knows Bonney, knows she has a devil fruit that can change her age, and the ages of others. This exact reason is why Lily enlisted Bonney's help for the holding of the train of Shelby's dress.

'Ok, the bride's maids are getting dressed, I still have to dress myself. I need to get a Den-Den Mushi to contact the boys and make absolutely certain they are getting ready. I need to get the poem for the Bride's Tent, and gather the items. Um...Oh! I need to check the guests and guest lists, get the basket and flower petals for Iva-chan, check with the pas-'

"So, Lily, can we talk? I kinda can't do the whole wedding thing...I gotta be womewhere important, and really can't stay.

Lillianne froze up, and for the first time in her life, felt true fear of disappointment from her precious Shell-sama.

* * *

"Go scout the park. No doubt with Lillianne planning this thing like the locals say she is, it'll be an extravagant outside wedding." Kidd turned back to the bar to order another rum shot and hopefully drown his bloodlust before he was to arrive at his desired location.

"Yes, Captain." Killer answered without hesitation. However, it wasn't _just_ for his Captain.

He would never admit it aloud, but Killer, deep inside, knew that when it came down to it...

...he was jealous of Law.

He had the most beautiful woman he had ever had the pleasure of seeing, hearing, experiencing in his life. He probably didn't even realize it. He would never know just how damn lucky he was.

Killer brushed past another meaningless life he briefly thought of ending. He had someone to find right now, though, so said meaningless life would get another day to see sunlight and enjoy it.

He turned sharply onto yet another cobblestone street and quietly stormed down one side. He had a distinct location in mind, and no matter how many people were stupid enough not to give him room to move, he only had one person in mind he wanted under his blade right now. And one other under himself, but he dared not delve into that portion of his lust at the moment. It would distract him to far from his orders. Currently, he was to find the object of his _Captain's_ lust and direct him to it, or more specifically, _her_. Only that would sate his desire.

Oh, but soon..._soon_...he would have his own desires fulfilled.

* * *

Law straightened his tie, then straightened himself.

He could do this.

He could do this.

What does Shell always say?

Face forward and mar- no, that wouldn't help him now.

...He really needed to get his own little tidbit of advice. Like, don't sleep with a walrus, or, shine even when you can't, or, only cut open people if they're annoying or dead.

Isn't that what he did already?

He examined himself one more time before he dared turn away from the mirror.

Semi-short black hair messily combed to look elegant, yet still badass? Check. Black tuxedo with pink - ugh, pink, disgusting - undershirt and dark pink - he would have chosen yellow, personally - tie? Check. Black slacks and newly shined black heeled shoes ceourtesy of his loyal crewmembers? Check. Tattoos cleverly concealed by black gloves? Check. Earrings polished to shine like freshly found jewels in a hot egyptian tomb? Check.

He looked damn good.

Last thing, rings? He glanced to his left at the light pink pillow which held two delicate gold bands, one with a large diamond, one with engraving on the inside, atop its plush surface. He smirked, 'Check.'

He nodded his head once he was satisfied and turned from the reflective surface to the contained situation behind him.

Penguin and Shachi were being dunked into cold water to help sober them up, which actually seemed to be working.

Law strode out the door and onward to the ceremony's actual location.

And there he was. Though he moaned and complained, he had finally been stuffed into a perfectly fitting tuxedo of all-matching-colors-of-pink-but-never-the-same-pinks-because-that-would-be-stupid-and-gaudy-but-they-still-all-match-perfectly, except for the white undershirt and shoes, and black tie, belt, and cuffs.

Doflamingo looked like a gentleman, and that was all there was to it.

Law smiled and eyed the crowd lining the benches and the aisle and the grounds all around him. His eyes raked over the crowd with envy for their easy-going time. His life was currently hell. He stopped - his eyes and his gait - when he spotted two cloaked figures in place of the pastor. He had greeted the pastor and allowed him inside, so why wasn't he at his post, ready for the ceremony like Doflamingo? What were those two figures doing in his place?

Law furrowed his brow and doubled his previous pace, easily making a short walk to the alter. Before approaching the two suspicious people, he took a look at their actions. Perhaps they were his assistants? He scrutinized the worn red leather book in front of them on the podium. A deep red color, deepening to a bloody red on the two raised dragons, intertwining and flying perhaps skyward, with a thin red leather string to tie it shut.

'That definitely isn't a Bible...' Law thought with anger, and stormed over to the questionable persons. "Excuse me, Miss, but you-"

"Can and will be leading the binding ceremony between two destined souls today, do I make myself clear, Mister Trafalgar?" The white cloaked man spoke up without hesitation, and without looking up from pointing to various things in the leather book, which now lay open on the oak surface.

Law fumed, "It is a wedding, and I will have to ask you to leave."

"No." He asnwered back.

"_Yes_, or I will have to forcibly remove your head form your body. Was that clear enough? Leave, now." Law stated through a clenched jaw, because saying that through clenched teeth would have made it slightly inaudible, and Law wanted to be heard, and _obeyed_.

"**No.**"

The command was so simple. It wasn't even a statement, it was a command. So strange, coming from the small, feminine voice, but it was still clear there was only one option - turn and walk away.

She commanded it, and so much more, with one tiny two-letter word.

She was more powerful than him, and anyone he knew, and he simply musn't disobey.

In a daze, he bowed low, thanked her, and turned away. He walked a few steps and shook his head, then clutched it due to the pain.

'Was that Haki?' He shut an eye in pain and looked at the pair with his other. They worked silently, using quiet gestures and whispers to communicate plans and phrases. He couldn't hear them, therefore, didn't know how they were to orchestrate a ceremony that was to happen _very_ soon. He simply silently prayed to whatever gods would listen that they knew what they were doing, and wouldn't fuck this up for the Queen of Shadows, and his senior fellow Shichibukai, Doflamingo.

* * *

**WOO! FINALLY UPDATED! Ok, so, I haven't even _started_ on part three yet, but I will soon, and it will be uploaded and it will be AMAZING. I really have no clue how many parts I'm putting into this wedding, since we all know what conflict is coming up soon~! I have no clue how I'll orchestrate it. Anyway, if you want a first look at it, go to my profile on DeviantART, and my username is mamuzelkittycat. It'll be uploaded there first, then here when I finish editing it.**

**I love you guys! Stay loyal and review! Please?**


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